6345.0 - Labour Price Index, Australia, Dec 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/02/2012   
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COMMENTARY


WAGE PRICE INDEXES

Australia/Sector (trend)

In the December quarter 2011, the Public sector wage price index rose 0.7%, slightly lower than the Private and All sectors wage price indexes which rose 0.9%.

The Public sector rise of 3.2% through the year to the December quarter 2011 was again below that of the Private sector (3.7%). This is the fourth consecutive quarter that the rise through the year for the Public sector was below that of the Private sector.


State/Territory (original)

The Northern Territory recorded the largest quarterly All sectors rise (1.5%) while Tasmania recorded the smallest (0.5%). New South Wales and the Northern Territory recorded a larger quarterly rise in the December quarter 2011 than in the December quarter 2010. Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory recorded smaller quarterly rises in the December quarter 2011 than in the December quarter 2010. Rises through the year ranged from 2.9% for the Australian Capital Territory to 4.2% for the Northern Territory.

In the Private sector, the Northern Territory recorded the largest quarterly rise of 1.2% while Tasmania recorded the smallest (0.6%). Rises through the year in the Private sector ranged from 3.3% for Tasmania to 4.0% for both the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

In the Public sector, in the December quarter 2011, quarterly rises were smaller than in the December quarter 2010 in all states and territories, with the exception of New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory. This was mainly due to continuing delays in the commencement of new enterprise agreements in many jurisdictions.

The largest quarterly rise of all states and territories in the Public sector was recorded by the Northern Territory (1.9%) while Tasmania recorded the smallest (0.3%). The Northern Territory (4.5%) also recorded the largest rise through the year to the December quarter 2011 and the Australian Capital Territory recorded the smallest (2.4%).


Industry (original)

WPI - Annual and Quarterly changes: original, Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses - Industry, December quarter 2011
Graph: WPI—Annual and Quarterly changes: original, Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses—Industry, December quarter 2011


In the December quarter 2011, the largest quarterly rise for All sectors of 1.6% was recorded by Arts and recreation services. The smallest rises for the December quarter 2011 were recorded by Transport, postal and warehousing; Education and training; and Other services (all 0.5%). The All sectors through the year rises ranged from 2.9% for Public administration and safety to 4.7% for Professional, scientific and technical services.

Arts and recreation services recorded the largest quarterly rise in the Private sector of 1.8%. The smallest rise in the Private sector was recorded by Education and training with 0.2%.

In the Public sector, Public administration and safety and Health care and social assistance had the largest quarterly rises (0.9%) and Professional, scientific and technical services and Education and training had the smallest (0.6%).